The UBC was adopted with provisions that allow the Guam Department of Public Works to administer the latest edition of the code. Buildings under construction must comply with major safety issues, if practical.

When the UBC is updated, the Guam Department of Public Works must notify all affected parties to comply with the updated version. Guam amendments to the UBC must be published.

The Guam Department of Public Works enforces the UBC for private and public buildings. Engineers and architects conduct all plan reviews. Trained and experienced building inspectors conduct field inspections. Appeals to Department of Public Works decisions are heard by the Contractors Licensing Board. Other appeals (not on Department of Public Works decisions) are heard by the Territorial Planning Commission.

The Guam Department of Public Works requires that professional architects and engineers design plans for concrete structures. A registered architect or engineer must stamp and sign plans for all commercial and multi-family buildings. Building plans are submitted to the permitting office for review by all the government agencies for clearance. The Guam Department of Public Works conducts plan reviews for all plans submitted for a building permit.

The Guam Building Law was enacted in 1952 but only incorporated administrative provisions of the building code.

The UBC was first adopted in 1979 by the 14th Guam Legislature. Public Law 14-112 adopted Parts II through XII and appendices of the latest edition of the UBC and added these sections to the Guam Building Law.

In 1980 Public Law 17-76 revised the building law and stated that whenever the UBC is updated, the Department of Public Works will automatically recognize the latest edition as the standard for design and construction.

Governor Executive Orders 83-4 and 2007-14 are the legal authorities for the Guam Energy Office. This office is responsible for the administration of all of Guam's energy-related federal programs. The Guam Energy Office is supervised by the Guam Environmental Protection Agency.

Guam Energy Office will use Recovery Act SEP funds to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy though energy efficiency retrofits, strong policy leadership, and public education efforts. In public buildings across Guam, the Energy Office will conduct energy audits and put in place cost-effective energy retrofits. In addition, lighting efficiency standards will be incorporated as part of the procurement regulations, and public officials will be trained to maximize the energy efficiency of lighting installations.